The fight
by Cetta
Summary: C/G what else! I'm not good to summarize, anywat the title is self-explaining. . .


Disclaimer: Not mine! Just writing for fun, no profit! Author's Note: Thank you Mac for the patience and the time of beta reading (hard work 'cause English is not my native language), I really appreciate it. Enjoy the story!!  
  
THE FIGHT  
  
Grissom Office 9 30PM  
  
Catherine was in "Spring Cleaning" full mode. It was a slow night, without murder or robbery and she had nothing to do but paperwork. So she's decided to take pity of Grissom and start clean that mess he calls Office. After an hour she decided that everything looked organized, well a hell of a lot more organized than it did before anyhow, so she picked up a large stack of files, folders, and briefs to throw away. She was on her way out the door when she felt someone run into her sending all of the files, folders, and briefings scatter everywhere.  
  
"What the hell!" she groaned and looked down at the mess that'd just been created and let out a long drawing breath with a look of anger and utter annoyance on her face, "Can't you watch where you're going!" she yelled and looking up, she saw her tall, grey-haired, blue-eyed boss Gil Grissom.  
  
"I'm going in my office, you know, where I usually work. And you?" he said lightly. Realizing that her mouth was hanging wide open, she closed it rather quickly. Still maintaining the look of annoyance on her face she looked down at the mess that'd just consumed his office and then brought her eyes back up where they rested on his face.  
  
"What did you say?" she asked realizing that she'd better come out of her daze before he started to think that something was wrong. Grissom smiled and let a small laugh escape his mouth.  
  
"Awake today?" He was grinning almost mischievously and then looked from the mess up to Cath who was grinning right back.  
  
"Very nice. Now since this mess is your fault," indicating to the mess that had engulfed his office, "you're going to help me clean it up."  
  
"And if I refuse?" she gave him and evil glare, but a grin escaped her lips once again.  
  
"Hasn't anyone ever told you that you should never refuse a lady like me?" Grissom dare look at her.  
  
"No, actually they haven't? Why? Is this something I should be aware of? If so, enlighten me."  
  
Catherine returns his grin with an equally sly grin. "Should you decide to refuse, you'll be down there on the ground along with your mess."  
  
He shot her a surprised look, but she returned it with another one of her grins. She thought she saw a hint of embarrassment on his face considering he was looking rather flushed.  
  
"Gil, are you blushing?" Another small detail that kept Cath grinning.  
  
He just returned her smile too shy to say a word. They both bent down and started to pick up the files, folders, briefings that had engulfed Grissom's office and made it look as if a hurricane had made a highly improbable visit to CSI lab Las Vegas. When both of their arms were filled with paperwork, she looked up at him. Catching each other's eyes, their smiles faded as both became lost in thought. The eye contact lasted for what seemed like hours. Finally they both came out their reverie and looked down to see one last docket lying on the floor and reached for in at the same time.  
  
Catherine's hand got to it before Grissom's, but his closed on top of hers. She let out a small gasp only loud enough for her alone to hear. Their eyes drifted down to their hands and back up to each other's eyes.  
  
Cath's heart skipped a beat when she saw Gil flash her his best mischievous grin, and had she been standing at that moment her legs would have certainly turned to jelly, as they usually did whenever he smiled at her like that. At the same time, Grissom felt butterflies in his stomach and his pulse rate quicken. He desperately tried to relax when he felt the heat creeping up his neck and cheeks; he was convinced that he was blushing again. The twinkle in Cath's eyes confirmed his suspicions. She was teasing him and enjoying every second. Neither could tell who made the first move but slowly their faces leaned forward until their lips were grazing.  
  
The kiss started out slowly as they explored the contours of each other's lips and mouth in more of a caress than an actual kiss. Then he touched the tip of his tongue to the seam of her mouth and she opened up to him, allowing him inside. Their tongues started dueling and dancing together, and as the seconds passed the kiss became more frantic and hungry. Gil's hands traveled over the firm curves of Cath's body, pausing at the bottom of her blouse briefly before traveling back up underneath the thin material to feel the heated velvet texture of her skin. Cath's own hands ran up over the plains of his torso and over his broad shoulders. Tightening her grip on him, she meet him kiss for kiss. This was what she had wanted forever, but she never thought he would feel the same about her. His hands were now in her hair, dragging her head back and giving him access to her full lips. His eyes were closed, but there were a million colors behind his closed eyelids. His senses were alive with her; the feel of her satiny skin beneath his palms, the delicate scent that was always around her, the press of her curves. He moved his mouth and lips, feeling every tiny nuance of her mouth, feeling the moist lushness of her lips.  
  
A knock at the door caused Gil to jerk away tearing his mouth away from Cath's. As he turned around to see who was at the door his expression changed completely in a frowning one. At that moment Catherine knew that he was angry with himself for the kiss and not for the interruption. Grissom opened the door to Warrick, who started at once to speak  
  
"Grissom, I need help with the processing." As the young man continued, Catherine sighed in frustration and headed to her office. Grissom never casted a glance at her retreating form.  
  
Next day 3 25 AM  
  
Catherine Willows stormed through the lab intent only reaching her destination before she exploded. The rapid tap-tap-tap of her heels sounded dangerously like a firing machine gun. The door slammed with such force that the windows rattled slightly. The busy buzz of activity in the lab was instantly brought to a hushed silence before it quickly resumed with renewed speculations.  
  
Inside her office Catherine threw her files down onto her desk in disgust. She slumped into her chair and squeezed her eyes closed in total frustration. How dare he! Who the hell did he think he was to treat her like this. She took a deep breath, trying to remember the yoga exercise she learned to help calm her nerves. Grissom had removed her from a assignment because -she quoted-"you'll be too much involved."  
  
How dare he say such a thing? True, she didn't like children cases, but she'd always managed. But no, just because he'd kissed her (and what a kiss, even if he pretended nothing happened) he thought he can now interfere with her life. God. She hated him.  
  
Grissom knocked at her door once firmly, but in trepidation. There was a few seconds silence then, "Enter" came the curt reply. He closed the door quietly and stood silently observing her with his hands crossed behind his back. Usually, the sight of her gave him a sense of calm and peacefulness; now was definitely not going to be one of those times. She hadn't yet looked up from scribbling notes on her files. When she finally rested her hand and saw him, she stiffened instantly. Grissom could see her whole body tense, preparing for combat. She shot him a glare so murderous that he momentarily lost his composure and forgot his game plans. For about a full minute both gazes locked and both pairs of eyes were guarded from revealing too much of their true emotions to the other.  
  
Finally Grissom spoke. "Cath, look..." he paused, struggling to find the right words. She waited silently, still with a scowl on her face, eyes narrowed. She wasn't going to make this easy for him. "I know that you are perfectly able to work at this case, but."  
  
"There is no but!" she yelled. "Just because you are the boss here you can't think that everyone swears obedience to you"  
  
"That's not what I want," he replied. "But I expect the utmost respect from my employees, and you can't contradict my choices in front of all the police department"  
  
"Employees? I' can't? You are insane! Since when you kissed me seems that I'm not good enough to work with you!"  
  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he asked.  
  
"Don't be so clever. You'd treated me like the plague all day, just because you can't come to terms with your feeling and the kiss you gave me yesterday!" she screamed.  
  
"I can not BELIEVE you just said that," he said, standing up and moving to loom over her. "I have NEVER treated you like the plague. And I know perfectly what my feelings are, you are my best frie-"  
  
"Get out! Now!" she screamed. "Shut up and get out, I don't want hear nothing else. And I don't take orders by you. So this case is mine or you can fire me. Do you understand?" and with that she stood and stormed out toward the lab.  
  
Grissom returned to his office and sank into his chair exhaling the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Phew. To be truthful, he didn't expect an ugly confrontation; usually she accepted his peace-offering words. Now he'd have to think of a way to get back in her grace. It sure was getting harder and harder to keep his true feelings hidden and buried deep down.  
  
Over the years he'd known that he was falling for Catherine, what sane man wouldn't. Until recently though, whenever those feelings pushed to be acted upon, he did exactly the opposite. He would ignore them and tell himself it was only a platonic love. The truth was that he couldn't get the kiss out of his head. But he has a job to do, and he couldn't afford to be distracted. He knew that Catherine could manage with the case; it was himself that couldn't manage work with her. Shit. He was so angry with himself.  
  
Morgue 4 10AM  
  
Grissom entered the morgue and greeted the Doc. He had found some interesting news concerning the case on internet. Wordlessly, he went toward Catherine and handed her the papers. Catherine stripped off the gloves with a snap before taking the papers and studying them.  
  
"That's impossible," she breathed. Quickly, she retrieved her reference DNA chart from her case, comparing it to the one the machine had just spit out. And then, with shaking hands, she looked at the chart of the unknown skeleton on the table. A chilling silence reigned.  
  
"If you are still in, we have to go" he said.  
  
"Sure," was the quiet reply.  
  
Grissom's Tahoe 4 35 AM  
  
"Grissom? Are we going to be like this the whole trip?" Might as well get it out in the open now she thought.  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Not talking. Not looking at each other. Your not being fair." Catherine knew she'd said the wrong thing the minute his eyes left the road. They blazed with a fire that meant only one thing Gil Grissom was way past mad.  
  
"Fair? I'm not being fair. Well of course I'm not, Willows. I'm the heartless bastard who only thinks of himself. You want to talk about fair, Cath? You want to go over the finer points of not talking to someone? Let's discuss how you didn't talk to me all day. You want fair, Cath? Go look for it somewhere else. I'm through being fair to everyone. My teeth hurt from getting kicked in the face for my efforts." He bolted out of the car as soon as it stopped and strode toward the yellow line around the house.  
  
"Wait for me" Catherine knew tears were choking her voice but she didn't care. He didn't look back. He didn't stop to see if she was following him. He just kept walking.  
  
She sat in numb silence in his car. She had never realized that you could inflict so much pain on someone you loved with all your heart. Maybe that was why her heart felt like it was being ripped in two. She knew she had to find a way to mend the wounds. She had to find a way to help him heal. His healing would soothe her wounded heart because somewhere in the mess of the last day his pain and his rage had become hers.  
  
She went looking for Grissom, but the policeman told her he was looking for clues in the nearby wood for about half an hour and that he said she could go back with his car. She started fuming and, instead of obeying, went to the house to wait.  
  
After two hours and forty minutes he finally came back in the house where se was slumped in a chair waiting for him.  
  
"Welcome back" she said sarcastically. "Thought you might have decided to became a wood cutter." Everyone else in the room thought she was joking and laughed accordingly. All except Grissom, he knew she was way passed ticked. Excusing himself from the group that had gathered waiting for him, Grissom made his way over to Cath and ushered her outside.  
  
"Okay, what was that crack suppose to mean?"  
  
"Crack? It wasn't a crack, just the God's honest truth. You're two hours late for a return, kind of makes a person wonder."  
  
"What are you talking about? I'm right on time." He was trying to keep his voice level, but the past day had done nothing to improve their partnership.  
  
"I know you have lousy timing, Grissom, but even you can't believe that two hours late is 'on time'." By this time Catherine was standing toe to toe with him.  
  
"I repeat, Willows, what are you talking about? "  
  
"You told me you would be back in half an hour. That was two hours ago. The least you could have done was call me with your cell." She refused to tell him that she had been terrified that something had happened to him before they had a chance to work things out. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction or the ammunition to wound her with.  
  
"For your information, Willows, I told the police man you could go back to the lab. It's not my fault that you waited for me. Grissom saw his words hit home, but somehow the victory didn't hold any sweetness. He was tired of hurting her because hurting her hurt him. Seeing the fight drain out of her, Grissom took a chance and clasped her hand in his. "Listen, Cath, I'm sorry if I worried you. I did let you know where I was going to be."  
  
Snatching her hand back as if his touch burned her, which it always did, she walked several feet away before turning to face him. "I wasn't worried. I just didn't want to break in a new boss." In another time and another place the words would have brought a smile to his lips, but not this time and definitely not in this place.  
  
"Why? Maybe your new boss wouldn't have expected your obedience."  
  
"He probably wouldn't have, unfortunately we'll never know. Besides, I'd hate to have to break the news to Sarah. She doesn't find it hard to stroke your ego now and then" They were once again standing inches from each other. To any observer, it would have looked just like two coworkers having a heated discussion.  
  
"Like Warrick and Nick don't stroke yours, Willows. You're their idol. They drool every time you open your mouth, and you use your body to take advantage of them." The slap Catherine delivered across his face would have dispelled the "coworker's argument theory" had anyone been looking.  
  
"I hate you." With those words as her parting folly, Catherine Willows turned and strode toward the parking lot without a backward glance.  
  
Gil Grissom stood in the glow of the first sun, the sting from the slap holding no pain compared to the ache in his heart. As he watched the only woman he had ever truly loved, the woman who now hated him, walk away without looking back, he had to admit that at least they could still agree on one thing. "I hate myself too, Cath."  
  
The next night 1 05AM  
  
The shift had been uneventful at the lab. Actually, uneventful was not a good enough word. It had been plain boring. However, Grissom had much to think about. One hundred percent of his thoughts were about a certain lady who had a grip on his heart he couldn't deny any longer. Catherine Willows, his partner, always his friend, even when things had been strained between them, when they had seemed indifferent to each other on the outside. But something more existed, something deeper, stronger, ever growing. He loved her. Not like a sister, and not only as a friend, but the way a man loves a woman. He could push those feelings aside, hide from them, deny them, but the honest truth was that the mere sight of that woman, the sound of her voice, the scent of her perfume, made his heart burst.  
  
She had the night off and he couldn't wait to clear the unresolved question between them. So he made a decision, for the first time he called himself sick, put Warrick in charge and went straight to talk with Catherine.  
  
Catherine's House 1 40 AM  
  
She couldn't sleep. Lindsey was out of town with Eddie and she felt alone and restless. After the fifth cup of coffee she decided to take a shower to relax before trying to sleep again. A short time later she stepped out of the shower and sat down on the bed to dry her hair. Just as she was about to switch on the dryer, someone knocked on the door.  
  
Tightening the belt on her robe, Cath went and looked through the peephole. Stunned, she took a quick step back and jerked open the door. "Grissom! What are you doing here? Don't you work tonight? What..."  
  
She never got the rest of the sentence out as Gil's mouth crashed down on hers. Years of longing and days of fighting and tension poured out. After a minute however he released her and clearing his throat whispered, "Cath, we have to talk".  
  
She shrugged her shoulders, expecting him to back off and closed the door, "We already talked"  
  
"No, we argued before. Let me talk, please"  
  
"Go on"  
  
"You know that I care for you very much, I'm not so good at dealing with people, but you are my best fr..."  
  
"Don't you DARE say I'm your best friend," She shouted. "Is that how you treat your friends? "  
  
"Fine! Forget I said it. I don't even recognize you right now. And anyway talking is overrated" he said darkly, infuriated. And with a swift move he reached over and jerked her against him, slamming his mouth against hers in a bruising kiss.  
  
Cath struggled for a moment, then began kissing him back just as hard, biting at his lower lip, thrusting her tongue against his in a furious battle for supremacy, their anger fueling a superheated passion. He felt her fingers tangle in his hair and tug his head down even closer to her. Pushing her back against the nearby wall, he grabbed her and started unknotting the belt of her robe. She groaned and pushed her breasts into his hands. God, this was a side of Gil she'd never seen before, and it was turning her on.  
  
She was still mad as hell at him, but there was no way she could pull away right now. Her anger and his primal passion were combining to produce an almost unbearable excitement. Desperate to get closer, to feel his skin against hers, she unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders and then dragged his undershirt over his head. As soon as it was out of the way, she threw her arms around his neck and pressed her chest against his, dragging moans from both of them. She gasped as she felt Gil sink his teeth into the juncture of her shoulder and neck. She raked her fingernails down his back and then brought her hands between them and began fumbling with his belt and zipper, undoing his pants and pulling the top apart. She pushed his pants and boxers as far down his legs as she could get them, put her arms back around him and she hooked one leg around the back of his thighs to bring her into even more intimate contact.  
  
Grissom groaned at the sensation and reached his hands down to her bottom to pull her even closer, squeezing her cheeks as he encouraged her movements. Cath let out a guttural moan and tilted her head back as far as she could with the wall behind her. Looking her, Gil decided the bedroom might as well be on the moon; there was no way he was going to make it that far. He had to bury himself in her now. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her down to the floor with him and quickly rolled her body beneath him, leaning over her to place another heated kiss on her lips. He worked his legs between hers and spread her thighs, opening her to his invasion. He lay poised at her entrance for one long moment, looking down at her.  
  
She met his gaze fearlessly and he plunged inside her, growling his pleasure at the feeling of being deep inside her heat. She cried out and arched up against him, wrapping her hands around his upper arms so tightly he could feel her fingernails digging into his skin. Then she lifted her hips and took him a little bit deeper. The last of his control snapped, and he pulled back and then slammed home again. He didn't waste any time with slow, teasing strokes, instead thrusting into her again and again. The sensation made her even more frantic with passion, and after a minute the released come for both overwhelming.  
  
They stayed, still joined, on the floor, panting harder until she spoke "I'm so sorry! I know I've been horrible the past few days. I've been too sensitive and things have gotten out of hand and," she was rambling but couldn't seem to stop herself. "I never wanted to fight with you! Never! It makes me sick. And it's not how I... mmph!"  
  
He muted her with another searing kiss. His thumbs moved across her cheekbones, slowly "I love you."  
  
The words exploded inside of Cath. Stunned, she could only look at him. His beloved face was slightly blurred but her heart knew every tiny line, every whisker, and every pore. Her hands slid around from his hair and her fingertips touched his mouth.  
  
"Say it again," she demanded. He smiled against her skin.  
  
"I love you," he whispered very tenderly, his smooth voice stroking her senses.  
  
"Oh my God," she whispered.  
  
"Is that good or bad?" he asked.  
  
"Oh God!" she whispered again. "I love you so much!" she cried softly, throwing herself back into his arms. Gil caught her tight and held her close to his heart. Relief like he'd never known washed over him in great waves. It was a risk to tell her what was in his heart but the risk just paid off. He closed his eyes and hugged her so tight he lost track of where he ended and she began.  
  
"I'm so glad you love me," he murmured deeply. "I was afraid..." his voice trailed off. "I was afraid you wouldn't feel the same."  
  
"Not feel the same?" she choked out against his neck. "I've loved you forever it seems. Since you looked at me the first time with such intensity. Since... since I don't know when. I just know I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you," she stated, punctuating each declaration with a kiss against his smiling mouth.  
  
"I'll never let you go," he promised, burying his hands in her hair again. "Never, Cath. I love you, adore you. I'll go down in the dark calling your name. Is that enough for you?"  
  
"I think so."  
  
Catherine House 6 34AM  
  
The incessant ringing of the telephone on the bedside table woke Gil from his slumber. He quickly grabbed it before the ringing could wake Cath. "Hello" he answered sleepily into the phone.  
  
"Um, hi, Catherine?"  
  
"Warrick, does this sound like Catherine's voice to you?"  
  
"Grissom? I am sorry, it is just that I " he babbled.  
  
"OK wait, will you hang on for a minute?"  
  
Grissom leaned over to wake Catherine, forgetting to put his hand over the receiver. "Cath, Cath, sorry to do this, I know you need to rest. Warrick's on the phone, he would like to speak to you."  
  
Hearing this, Warrick eyes became as big as saucers, wondering if he was really hearing what he thought he was hearing that Grissom was in bed with Catherine.  
  
Catherine took the phone and started to answer his questions. "What do you want this early Warrick?"  
  
"Actually, I called because I was wondering where Grissom was and I thought that maybe you knew"  
  
"I think I know. Anything else?  
  
"No, No. Thanks. Bye."  
  
"Bye." With that Catherine hung up the phone, and once again turned her attention to Gil. He took her in his arms and just held her. " I think we're busted"  
  
Meanwhile at the lab Warrick shouted at Nick and Sarah "Boy, you will never guess what I've found out!!!" 


End file.
